Broken Strings
by WolfandStar
Summary: Red strings tie each person to their true love. The magical are privileged enough to be able to see the strings and follow them. But what happens when the string goes dark, and you lose that one true love? Is it possible to find love a second time? Or perhaps, did the heart know all along just where your string led?
1. Chapter 1

_Star: Hey peoples! Wolf and I decided to write a story together and see where it took us. It took a lot of planning and quite a bit of time. (I really suck at consistent writing because my muse likes to leave on vacation without warning.) But ta da! Yay story! Enjoy. Oh and a few words from Wolf too. ^.^_

**Wolf: Hi. I hope you like this story. I'm a big fan of Star's work and I'm looking forward to working on this story with her. I'm wolf because I mostly write from Remus' view.**

**I'm also loving that my nickname for this is Wolf! I can work with that :)**

Disclaimer: Neither of us own Harry Potter. We both like to imagine we do though.

**(I like to imagine I own Sirius and Remus, but that's only in my dreams).**

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

Sirius remembered the first time he ever saw his red string. He was barely six when it happened. Something had woken him in the middle of the night though nothing in the house was amiss. He could remember the bright red string darkening as if turning black. For a moment he was terrified he would lose the soulmate he had yet to even have a chance to meet. Even at that young age, Sirius understood what the red string was; what it meant.

The Black heir watched in terror as the string around his ring finger darkened to a blood red. It almost went black but at the last moment lightened up to a dark red, never bouncing back to the bright red he knew they were supposed to be. Sirius reached out a finger and touched the near translucent string, finding that he could feel the heart beat of his soulmate coming through the string. It was beating far too fast but at least it was strong. Sirius never did get back to sleep that night, instead, choosing to watch the string in the light of the full moon until it disappeared from his sight again.

10 years had passed since that first night he saw his string. Sirius had found out what the darkening of the string had meant a few years later. His soulmate had been bitten that night, turned into a werewolf. The darkening of the string meant a second soul bonding to him. The man, and the wolf. It had to be a man, though Sirius had yet to meet him. He knew this because women held no interest to him at all. Sirius doubted that his string would lead him to someone he wasn't attracted to.

The dark-haired teen had returned from school a few days ago and was already wishing to be back at Drumstrang. While it wasn't all that great, it was better than home. While he loved his brother very much, there was little warmth to be had within the House of Black. Which was why at the current moment Sirius was looking out the window. He wondered where his soul mate might be. Was he in pain with the coming full moon this weekend? Was he really hyper from the extra energy the wolf sometimes gave it's human? Was he worried about hurting someone?

Sirius knew his soul mate wouldn't want to hurt someone on purpose. No true love of his would be so cruel. He was a good man, he could just tell. Grey eyes were drawn to a figure on the street. It was strange to see people standing about on the street for no reason, even more so when it was his street. But the guy was sitting down and staring at the house. He was cute too. Sirius could see that plain as day. Perhaps the guy was just lost. Maybe he needed directions.

The Black heir left his room, intending to go outside and help the stranger find where he was going when a conversation hit his ears. His parents were in his father's study. Funny, his mother never went in there.

"I don't care what it takes. I won't allow a half breed to become heir to this house. No grandchildren of mine will be filth!" Walburga Black sounded furious. At the mention of half breed and grandchildren Sirius felt his blood run cold.

"There is nothing to worry about dear. Once we find out who it is, we'll simply ensure they have an unfortunate accident with silver. Then we can find a black-banded respectable pureblood witch that can fill the role of wife. Sirius will thank us in the end."

"I don't even want that werewolf near this house! The moment you find out who it is, take them out. Sirius need never to know."

"Absolutely not. His head is already filled with that blood traitor nonsense. We don't want to add more fuel to the fire. I truly hoped Drumstrang would knock that out of him. It's why we never sent him to Hogwarts. Dumbledore is too soft." Sirius bolted back upstairs to his room. They were going to kill him. They were going to kill his soulmate just because he was a werewolf. Of course they knew. His parents had been researching it for as long as possible. The moment Sirius had turned 13 and they were able to cast the spell to show his string they began searching.

The darkened string told them all they needed to know. It didn't matter that this was his soul mate, the one destined to make him happy. It didn't matter how he felt about the whole thing. No, what mattered was the image. How many innocent people had been killed because the string didn't lead to the right person the parents wanted?

No. Sirius would not allow his soul mate to become part of that morbid number. His true love had a hard enough life without the Blacks coming after him. The dark-haired teen cast the spell that would show his string. It was the one and only spell underage wizards and witches could cast without threat of expulsion, not that the heir to the House of Black had to worry about that anyway. The darkened red string glowed brightly in front of him, leading out the window and into the world.

Sirius wished so badly he could follow it. He couldn't though. If he met his soul mate he wouldn't want to give him up and that would lead to disaster. Sirius used to dream about the day he would find the other end of his string.

He touched the string, feeling the strong heartbeat thrum through his fingers. That feeling had gotten him through a lot. Just knowing there was someone out there that would love him unconditionally, just as he was, was a great comfort to Sirius growing up. He wanted to meet the person holding the other end. But knowing what his parents were planning on doing, the 16 year old couldn't allow that. His soul mate would never be subjected to that if he could help it.

Sirius knew what it might do to his love on the other end of his string but the known alternative was far worse. At least this way, his soul mate could live a full and wonderful life without the threat of the House of Black. So with a shaky breath Sirius picked up his wand and pointed it at his string.

"I'm so sorry...please forgive me. I can't let them have you...I love you." The cutting curse came off his tongue a moment later and his string brightened painfully then all at once severed, turning black at both ends and disappeared.

The tears came without warning and Sirius fell to the ground. He'd just cut his string to save his soul mate from his parents. The loss of it hit him hard but at least his love was safe. At least his beautiful werewolf would get to live a full life. He had to protect him and cutting the string was the only way he knew how. Still, Sirius grieved the loss and when his parents found him a half hour later they seemed far more happy than they should. He, of course, knew why. Their problem had taken care of itself without their involvement. Today was their lucky day, and Sirius' worst.

* * *

Remus' gaze fell on his hand as it did so often. He stared at where his string should be. He had cast the spell to reveal it, but

Only this time it wasn't there any-more. He had seen it turn black with his own eyes. The sting that was once red and vibrant, almost glowing suddenly darkening and turning back. He had mourned someone he had never even known the identity of.

It had been two weeks since he watched the string change colour and disappear, his friends watching him with sympathetic expressions, but he hid his emotions on the matter well. It was probably for the best after all - the bond had been there since he was born. His mother had been adamant she could sense it, even if he wasn't able to see it until he was a bit older. That meant he had a soul-mate already in the world, waiting to meet him.

"A mother knows these things," Hope had insisted when he questioned her about it.

But whoever they were, they were expecting to meet a nice normal guy. They weren't expecting to find out their soul-mate was actually a Werewolf. A monster. The bond was already there before he got bitten and it wouldn't have changed. He couldn't ask that person, whoever they were, to accept a creature as their one true love.

Lily always argued when he told her that. She always insisted he try to meet them when the time came. That he give it a shot. Better to have tried and failed then live in misery, wondering what could have been, right?

And there was certainly a part of Remus that looked at the string and found it fascinating. That the world had picked the perfect person for him - who wouldn't be curious about it? Who wouldn't want to meet the person who would make you happy above all others?

He didn't realise how much he needed that string. Late at night when he was alone, or after a full moon when it all felt like it wasn't worth it, he would make the string appear and he could feel his soulmates heartbeat. It had become his lifeline and he was completely lost without it!

What James and Lily didn't know is that Remus did try to meet this person. His soulmate. The man or woman would could be his one true love. He had an appointment at the Ministry during his holiday's and although the Ministry had been known to keep him and the other Werewolves waiting for hours, he was in and out of there quickly.

With a few hours between him leaving and the time he would meet James and Lily, Remus done something impulsive. Something not like him at all.

He cast the spell that would show his string and decided to follow it. He was glad that he would be the only one able to see the string as muggles weren't aware of strings and soulmates and seeing the string leading from his finger would freak them out.

He didn't expect it to really lead him anywhere. He could be in the wrong country even, but he just wanted to see which direction it brought him in. He could easily apparate to Diagon Alley to meet James and Lily later that afternoon.

He watched the string appear and Remus tried to work out what was in that direction. Holburn possibly. Kings Cross was too. Remus found a place to hide, and apparated to Kings Cross, into the hidden part of the station usually reserved for people going to and from platform 9 3/4. Remus left the station and began walking.

He spent ten minutes walking down The Euston Road before the string started to point in another direction. The string wouldn't change direction so quickly unless he was close. Heart pounding, Remus sped up, watching where he was going. He turned a corner, walking fast down Claremont Square and onto Grimmauld Place.

His gaze moved between the houses as he followed the string. This was it. He began counting the house numbers to himself as he headed down the street.

_One Grimmauld Place._

He was about to find his soulmate. The one he claimed he didn't need. He watched his string turn into a house not too far in the distance. Was he even ready for this? But was anyone ever ready to meet their soulmate? The only person who would love them above all others?

_Three Grimmauld Place._

No. But he was here now and maybe just a glimpse of this person who the world had chosen for him would be enough. Maybe he could just introduce himself and find out this persons name and then come back another time?

_Five Grimmauld Place._

He wondered what the person was like. Male or Female? Tall? Short? Loud? Shy? Did they share his love of books or Chocolate? Would they have been a Gryffindor or Slytherin?

_Seven Grimmauld Place._

A girl rushed out of a house in the distance and his heart jumped. Was that her? As she walked towards him, the string didn't change directions, and Remus continued on, trying to calm himself at the slight panic he had felt.

He slowed his pace, nerves getting to him. He didn't know if he was ready for this after all.

_Nine Grimmauld Place._

Remus froze on the spot, taking some deep breathes. What was he going to do? Knock on the door and tell them that he followed his string? Did people actually do that, or did people prefer fate?_._

Would they even accept him in his condition? They might not want a Werewolf, but he knew he had to try - he had to know. At least if they didn't accept him, he'd be able to move on with his life.

_Eleven Grimmauld Place._

This was it, almost there.

_Thirteen Grimmauld Place._

Remus froze as he looked at the string touching the spot where these two houses met. Twelve Grimmauld Place was missing, but that's where his string was sending him. That's where his soulmate was waiting and he had no way of contacting him or her.

Remus crossed the road, trying to see if there was even a flicker of magic. He tried calling the address out loud, and finally he walked up to the wall and touched it with his wand, trying to reveal the missing house or set off the wards.

But it was clear the security spells on the house were not something Remus could deal with. He crossed the road and sat down, his eyes where the house should stand. He had a couple of hours before he was supposed to meet James and Lily and there was a chance that someone could enter or leave the house. He'd notice someone randomly appearing and maybe he could approach them and explain who he was?

He watched the space, his eyes moving up and down the road and he listened for even the faintest sound of apparation but nothing. He stayed until there was ten minutes left to meet his friends.

He would come back when he finished Hogwarts and he would meet this person. Hopefully in a situation where his soul-mate wasn't in this hidden house. Maybe knowing they lived in London, meant that at any time he could bump into them in Diagon Alley one day. He sighed and with one last look in the direction of the missing house, he turned and left.

But now the bond was gone and there was no point returning to that house.

* * *

_**Review please**_


	2. Chapter 2 - Sirius

_Star: Hey guys! Here is where the chapters start to split, at least for now. Wolf will do the next chapter and then I'll do one after that. I would like to thank you guys for reading this. It means a lot for you to read our story. If you haven't read NeonDomino's stuff (and there is a ton of stories) then you really should! I read almost all of her stories and have yet to be disappointed by them. I_ also have some other stories on my other account which you could read if you're interested. I realize those haven't been updated in a while either but I've been busy and my muse left on an extended vacation to Bora Bora without me. I'm assuming the vacation is over since my writer's blocks are all but dissipated now and I'm writing again. Anyway, long note over, enjoy! ^.^

Disclaimer: All that is Harry Potter is but a dream of mine to own. A dream that has yet to come true.

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**Chapter Two - Sirius**

Sirius looked down at his hand and sighed. He missed the dark red of his string. Anytime he cast the spell now, it just made him sad. He had cut the string with good intentions but less than a year later the Black had run away. His parents tried to force him into a marriage with an absolute troll of a witch who only had time for shopping and kicking house-elves. When Sirius had put his foot down things escalated violently. A few hours after that his Uncle Alphard had found him on his doorstep beaten and bruised.

From that moment on Sirius was no longer the heir to the House of Black. He was no longer the disgraced son of Walburga and Orion Black. He had become Alphard's heir and found himself in a loving house for the first time in his life. The best part had been Alphard's acceptance of Sirius' soul mate. The only problem? Sirius no longer had a way to find him. His uncle offered to help him in any way he could to try to find a way to reconnect the string but so far nothing had come up.

Sirius had finished school in the mean time. He had found himself suddenly a target with a lot of his classmates so in an effort to ensure his safety, Alphard brought him home and home schooled him. The only hiccup was his NEWTs. They were Ministry required testing in order to become a full fledged wizard.

"You are not going to Drumstrang to take those tests. They'd likely fail you just to please my sister and her husband." Alphard had been saying that for weeks now. Every time Sirius had brought up his NEWTs the response had been the same. 'Not at Drumstrang.' The Black sighed and cast his patronus, preparing for his NEWTs. The shimmery wolf howled and started to run around the room.

"But I need to take the tests. The Ministry doesn't issue them at the office this late in the year. They won't make an exception for me either. Home-schooled wizards take their tests in February. It's May now. How else am I going to take them if not at Drumstrang?" The wolf barked and nudged at Sirius' string hand.

"You know, sometimes I think your patronus is more of a pet than a guardian."

"Changing the subject again Uncle." The teen let his spell drop and the wolf disappeared. Alphard shook his head with a smile. His nephew was more than ready for his NEWTs...and even more so to have his soul mate.

"Well as it happens I've been in contact with other schools. Like I said Sirius. You will not be taking them at Drumstrang. They are biased and will do whatever your parents ask if it meant funding." This caused Sirius to stop in the middle of transfiguring the vase into an owl. It left the blue vase with a beak and talons. The thing hopped for a moment, hooting, before falling off the table and smashing on the floor.

"You've been talking to other schools?"

"Yes, because you do need the testing done. Just not-"

"Not at Drumstrang, yes. I know. So have you heard back?" Alphard smiled at the hope in Sirius' face. He knew which school his nephew was hoping to hear from.

"It's only for the testing but as it happens, Hogwarts students take their NEWTs next week. If you think you're ready, you can sit in and take your exams with them."

"Really?! I can go to Hogwarts?"

"For the testing. I do expect you to come back home after you're done Sirius Orion Black." The elder Black knew all too well how much Sirius had dreamed of going to Hogwarts, and just how excited this would make his heir.

"Absolutely! Just, let me see the Great Hall first. I have to see that ceiling. Oh, and the Quidditch Pitch. I heard it's bigger than Drumstrang's. And the grounds. Did you know they put a Whomping Willow on the grounds? Can you imagine?"

"Like I said Sirius, you do have to come home."

"Yes, definitely. Merlin, I'm going to go to Hogwarts for my NEWTs." Sirius had a grin that looked like it was going to split his face. Alphard laughed at his nephew's enthusiasm.

"Tuesday. You go on Tuesday."

"But it's Saturday now."

"Yes, I'm aware Sirius."

"I get to go to Hogwarts in three days. This is going to be awesome!" The old man just smiled at the teen and motioned to the broken and mangled vase on the floor.

"Clean that up and fix my poor vase. I don't want one that makes noise. I gave the one I had to your mother on her wedding day ages ago."

"I know. I broke it when I was four." Sirius quickly fixed the blue vase and transfigured it back to it's original state.

"Good. That thing was an insult to vases everywhere."

"It was an insult to everything. Mother was livid and quite swift in her punishment. Alright, I'm off to bed. Love you Uncle."

"Good night Sirius. Don't stay up too late reading again or I will lock all my books on werewolves up so you can't get them." Sirius looked horrified for a moment but knew that Alphard wouldn't really do it. Not when it meant as much to him as it did.

"Understood. I swear, no more than an hour. I'm looking into the mating bond right now. Given the strings and the nature of mating I wasn't sure if black-banded wolves would be free to mate someone else like black-banded people can get together and marry and stuff." Understanding flashed across Alphard's face as he looked at his nephew.

"You're worried your mate will find someone else." Sirius nodded softly.

"He doesn't know I'm alive... hell for all I know he could be dead by now. I don't have the string to tell me anymore." Deep sadness and dismay overtook the gray-eyed teen's face. He missed his string.

"What does your heart say Sirius?" Sirius looked at his string-finger for a moment before looking back up at his uncle.

"Alive. He has to be."

"Then he is. And for the record, wolves only mate once. They won't take someone else. Given the strings, they already know they have a mate. If it goes black then it's like losing their mate. They won't take another. They might date and be with someone else, maybe even marry, but there is only one mate for them. You were it Sirius. Your soul mate, whoever he is, won't mate someone else. You were it for them." The young Black nodded and headed upstairs to his book. There were still more things to research.

* * *

Tuesday came slowly for Sirius but finally he was stepping out of the Floo and into the headmaster's office.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Black. It is a pleasure meeting you. When Alphard contacted me I replied immediately. You were supposed to come here to begin with so how could I deny a would-have-been-student the right to sit his NEWTs here?" Albus Dumbledore shook Sirius' hand and led him out of his office. The teen's eyes went everywhere, trying to take everything in as he was led through the castle to the testing room. What he hadn't expected was for that room to be the Great Hall.

"Don't mind the ceiling. You'll be able to look at it later. Focus on your NEWTs first Mr. Black. Oh, and good luck." Dumbledore left him with a stern looking woman with a bun.

"Sirius Black?"

"Yes ma'am."

"This way. I'm Professor McGonagall, one of the teachers that will judge your practical magic skills alongside the Ministry officials. Here is your seat, do not start until you are told." With that the woman walked away. There were tons of students around him whispering. He caught a few of them mentioning him. Some mentioned his brother and how they looked alike. Sirius looked around to see what his might-have-been classmates looked like.

Some of the students looked more than ready for the test, like the red-head a few rows back. Others looked ready to vomit, like the tawny-haired teen next to her. He actually looked a bit ill if Sirius were to guess, especially since the dark-haired kid with glasses handed the boy something to drink saying it would make him feel better. The grey-eyed teen didn't get to look at anyone else before Professor McGonagall started to talk again. When she was done the tests started.

Sirius had been among the first to finish and since he was in the front row, was able to move on to his practical tests rather quickly. The Ministry officials were quite impressed with his transfiguration levels, but noticed he was lacking a bit Charms. Still, he passed with flying colors and was fully instated as a wizard. Once they let him go, he began to explore.

The entire day was spent looking at the castle that he wished had been his school. Sadly, it was never to be and as the sun started to set Dumbledore led him back to his office to Floo home.

"I trust you had a good time today Mr. Black."

"Yes sir I did. This place is brilliant. I wish I could've attended."

"As do I. You would have been comfortable here I believe." Sirius couldn't have agreed more with the headmaster. It was an entirely different school than Drumstang was.

"Go on home and get some sleep. I think you earned it after the tests today."

"I wish. I can never sleep on nights like this." The old man gave Sirius a puzzling look.

"On nights like what Mr. Black?"

"Full moons. I can't sleep on full moons."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"My mate. He was-is, he's a werewolf. I can't sleep knowing what's happening to him on nights like tonight."

"Ah, I see. Have you met him yet?" Black curls moved as Sirius shook his head.

"No sir. Don't know how to anymore. I cut my string to protect him from my parents...they were going to kill him."

"When did this happen, if you don't mind my asking."

"About a year ago now."

"I'm sorry Mr. Black."

"I'm working on fixing it, and please sir, it's Sirius." Dumbledore gave him a kindly smile, offering a bowl of candy to him.

"Butterscotch? No? Well if you know your mate was a werewolf then you already have a better chance of finding him than most. After all, how many black-banded male werewolves who never met their mates could there be? Just have some faith Sirius. I wish you the best in all your endeavors and should you ever need my assistance in anything, don't be afraid to ask." Sirius shook the headmaster's hand again as he stepped into the Floo.

"Thank you sir. Good-bye Professor."

"Good-bye Sirius."

* * *

After that Sirius started activism work for the betterment of werewolves everywhere. He got a job in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He joined the Beast Division and worked in the Werewolf Registry. Sirius found himself meeting a lot of werewolves on a day to day basis and found most of them were actually quite kind. They didn't want to be werewolves and thought of it as a curse that made them less of a person.

Sirius disagreed entirely and started to work on getting werewolves the recognition they deserved. They weren't animals to be caged or put down. They were just as human as the next wizard 29 days of the month. They didn't deserve to be treated this way. The teen found himself angry at the thought that his mate was being made to feel this way as well. There was no way he would ever allow his love to feel like he was worthless.

The grey-eyed wizard started small with simply getting the word out there and shining a light on the treatment of werewolves. Then he started to take it further with baby steps; stopping the discrimination of werewolves in the workforce, getting fair trials, having children. So long as precautions were in place for full moons, werewolves were actually some of the most loving parents a child would ever hope to find.

He spent a year working in the Ministry, doing everything to make life better for wolves. He hadn't found his mate yet. Most of the black banded male wolves had already met their mates and those that hadn't weren't into men. Professor Dumbledore had been right, his mate was a one-in-a-million kind of find. There were very few like him.

It was around August of the following year that the insatiable desire to go to Rome hit Sirius. He knew of the research center for werewolves there and that was perhaps the best place for him to go to find a lead on his mate. Alphard had agreed with him, that he should go. So, with his uncle's blessing the young Black had called the institute. He explained why he called and wanted to know if there was a way to come and visit or maybe even help out at the Institute.

As it happened, they needed wizards to help with potions and spells and things that were in progress. The man on the phone asked for Sirius to send in his information and they would look at his application to see if there was a place for him.

The reply was almost immediate. There was a place for him to work at the Institute. Sirius was thrilled. It felt like a huge step forward in his never-ending search to find his soul mate.

"This is fantastic Uncle. I'll be working with werewolves from all over the world and this way I'll be able to search for my mate _and_ possibly get to help werewolves everywhere with my work." Alphard smiled at Sirius, reading his acceptance letter to the Institute.

"That's wonderful Sirius. I know you'll find him, owl me the moment you do." It made everything so much easier knowing that his uncle was behind him all the way. Sirius had no fear for his mate when it came to Alphard. The teen nodded and ran upstairs to start packing.

The days leading up to Sirius leaving were spent reading up on everything there was to know about the Institute and werewolves. During that time, he noticed Alphard starting to cough more and more often. His uncle claimed his was fine when Sirius had questioned him and urged him not to worry about him. Sirius had only under the promise that Alphard would go and see someone about his cough.

The day the young Black was supposed to leave he came downstairs to find his uncle collapsed on the floor in the kitchen, a broken cup of tea nearby. Sirius rushed to Alphard's side and attempted to wake him up. When he didn't, the teen called for help.

Alphard Black had slipped into a coma. The mediwitches of St. Mungos couldn't diagnose what was causing it but that it was causing his body to weaken. Sirius never left his side, fearful of losing the one relative he felt he had left. The days passed slowly and he let the Institute know what was going on. The deep seated need to go to Rome hadn't dulled but the pull to stay with uncle was stronger.

On October 15th Alphard Black died at 3:41am. Sirius cried for a long time, holding his uncle's cooling hand. The days passed by quickly after that. The funeral, which had the normal Black family turn out; the will reading, which his mother left in an extremely furious manner; and then back to the silent house that was now his. Alphard had left everything to Sirius and now the teen didn't know what to do with it. Everywhere he looked he saw his beloved uncle.

Sitting down in the living room, the now 20 year old noticed a letter addressed to him on the coffee table. The letter was in Alphard's hand. With slightly shaky hands, Sirius picked up the letter and opened it.

_My dearest nephew,_

_By now you have probably heard of my death. I am sorry I was unable to meet your soul mate before I went. I know you found him though. Your love for him burns brighter than most people who have met their string ends. The wolf, who ever he may be, is very lucky to have you. I should hope he knows that._

_I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was ill. I didn't want you to postpone your trip due to me. I'm an old man and I wasn't about to stop you from living your life. I can only hope you don't hate me for too long for not telling you. It's a sickness I've had since Henry died. He was my soul mate and when he started to die I used an old Black family spell to try to save him._

_It had failed and infected me with Death instead. I only had a number of years left to live after that and my time is running short. I do want to tell you that you've made the last year of my life a happy one. It brought me great joy to have you in the house. My wish is that you bring your mate here and live as happily as Henry and I did. _

_Everything I have is yours Sirius. You made an old man believe that his family wasn't all dark and twisted again. You brought happiness and laughter back in this old house. For that, I'm forever grateful. Good-bye my dear Sirius. Please, know I went peacefully and trust that you'll see me again one day. When that time comes I will happily introduce you to Henry._

_Live your life to the fullest Sirius. Be happy, and never stop seeing the good in the world._

_I love you very much,_

_Alphard_

Sirius felt tears trail down his cheeks and drop onto the letter, smearing a few words. His uncle knew he had been dying. He didn't say anything so Sirius would leave to Rome. He wanted his nephew to live his life and go find his soul mate. It was both heart warming and heart breaking.

A few weeks later Sirius had packed the house up and made sure it was clean when he left. It would still be there when he returned. He needed to go to Rome. Not only for himself but fulfill his uncle's wish for him. He was going to live his life.

* * *

"Hello Mr. Black. Welcome to Instituti Lycanthroporm or the Institute of Werewolves. We're very happy to have you here and our condolences on your uncle's passing. Alphard has been a great benefactor of the Institute for the past few years." Sirius' eyebrows rose in surprise at the woman's words.

"My uncle donated money here?"

"Yes, a rather generous amount. He said that his eyes were opened when someone important to him became entangled in werewolves and he wanted to help. I'm assuming that he was talking about you." The Black smiled softly. His uncle was something else.

"Yes, I suppose he was."

"Again, our condolences. Right this way Mr. Black." The blonde girl started to walk down the hallway.

"Sirius, please. I'd rather be called Sirius."

"Yes, of course. I must say, your work in England has made waves. Several of the wolves here are very eager to work with you. They want to meet the man working so hard to better our lives." She stopped outside a room with two beds in it.

"Here is your room. You would've had a roommate when you first came but he left just yesterday. Although we would've checked to make sure it was ok first. He was a werewolf."

"I wouldn't have minded. If I did I wouldn't be doing what I do." The woman beamed at him brightly.

"Too true. Now, you'll be working mainly with the black-banded werewolves. It's hard for them to transition to life without their mates and seeing as you are in the same boat as them we thought it would be good for you to sit in on their groups and talk to them." Sirius nodded and set his stuff down before laying on the left bed.

"Funny, that was where your roommate slept." Sirius turned to the door, the faint scent of chocolate and parchment hitting his nose. He found it oddly calming.

"Great minds must think alike. Thank you. Oh, I didn't catch your name." The gold-eyed girl turned back to the doorway with a smile.

"Myra. My name's Myra. See you at group tomorrow Sirius." It was only then the Sirius caught sight of the black ring on her finger. His hand automatically went to the black band around his wrist before moving to the deep red ring he'd gotten last Christmas to show that he still had a mate. A mate that he would hopefully find here.

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**_There you have it~  
I did want to point out that I know Alphard wrote the letter saying that Sirius found his soul mate. He hadn't intended for Sirius to find him unconscious in the kitchen. He wrote the letter as if Sirius found his soul mate because he fully believed Sirius would find him in Rome. Just in case that wasn't clear in the letter.  
_**

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	3. Chapter 3 - Remus

**Thank you so much for reading, reviewing and following this story so far. We hope you enjoy the next chapter. :)**

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Remus watched James stare at his hand in fascination. He had been reading and clearly had missed the beginning of James' speech. He watched him, trying to work out exactly what James had been going on about before he phased out.

"Should I follow it?"

Now Remus was even more lost. Follow what?

"I mean, what if I end up with... what if it led to someone like McGonagall?" James mused.

"What if _what_ led to McGonagall?" Remus asked.

"The string," James said. "Moony, I thought you were being supportive."

Remus glanced at the book on his lap. "You can't expect me to be supportive if I'm in the middle of a book," he said. "When I finally realise you're actually talking, I realise I've missed half the conversation."

James sighed dramatically. "Well, if you had been paying attention rather than..." he glanced at the book. "Rather than trying to learn how to produce your Patronus, you'd realise that I was working on the spell for the soul-mate string, and I've managed to perfect it."

Oh.

"Well... that's good," Remus offered, trying to be supportive in a topic that hit a sore spot for him. "So, where does it lead?"

"I don't know," James muttered. "Should we follow it?" He asked again. It was posed as a question, but Remus could already hear the decision in James' voice. He just wanted Remus to agree with him and go with him.

Remus obediently followed him from the room.

**...oOo...**

"Maybe she's not at Hogwarts?" Remus suggested as James stared at his hand and up to the doors of the castle.

"Maybe," James replied, frowning. "I was so excited to meet her though. I thought maybe I'd find her today."

Remus smiled. "Some people don't find their soul mate for years. Not until the bonds force them together, yet you're quite the opposite."

"Wouldn't you be? Someone out there that is made for you - your other half? The person whose soul matches yours?" James replied, finally looking back towards Remus.

"So poetic," Remus teased. "But no." He turned to lead the way back to the Common Room.

"So, you're not interested in finding her?"

"The only thing I'm interested in are my O.W.L's," Remus replied. "I don't have time for anything else."

"You're pulling that face," James accused, pointing at his face. Remus pushed James' hand away.

"I'm not pulling any face, it's just my normal face," Remus argued.

James said the password as they approached the portrait entrance to the tower. They headed to their dorm and closed the door, and James spun around to face him.

"No, it's the face that you do when you're lying or trying to pretend," James said. "You know, like every-time after the full-moon when you say you're fine but me and Peter both know you're not."

Remus narrowed his eyes at James.

"This is a... Werewolf thing, isn't it?" James asked, suddenly understanding where the problem lay.

Remus remained quiet, not sure how to explain the problem without sounding like he was complaining.

"Okay, I was expecting to hear the whole 'I'm a Werewolf and I can't date' thing," James replied looking worried. "If it's more than that, you really need to share."

"It's not that," Remus informed him.

"Then what is it? Look, I can show you the spell, when you find her you don't have to do anything now, it's better to know sooner or later though, right?"

"He," Remus blurted out. "There is a possibility that this will lead to a he."

James was frozen for a second. "How high of a possibility?" He asked after a pause.

"Like it will definitely be a he," Remus muttered. "One-hundred percent certain."

"Okay, let's find him," James said. "You really like your secrets, don't you?"

"That's the other thing," Remus admitted. "What if I do this spell, and I... don't have a string?"

"That'd be crazy, everyone has strings," James scoffed.

"But soul-mates are the extension of your soul, the perfect person to make you whole -"

"Now who is being poetic," James muttered. "It even bloody rhymes."

"And my father said so himself - Werewolves don't have souls. So no soul means no soul-mate."

"That's utter crap," James said, walking over to his bed.

"Is it? Because the moment I do that spell -"

"The moment you do this spell, you'll know that there is someone out there for you, and that you do have a soul," James interrupted. "Werewolves have mates, right?"

"It's complicated," Remus muttered.

"How?"

"I don't know any Werewolves to find out," Remus replied. "To attend Hogwarts, I can't approach the Ministry in case they check their records and find out I'm a student, so I have no way of finding out the truth about soul-bonds and mates and Werewolves."

"Are there any books that focus -"

"Funnily enough, not many people are interested in writing Werewolves in a positive light with soul-mates and bonds like a regular person," Remus replied bitterly. "Even fewer Werewolves want to be interviewed, I suspect."

"Yeah... so, blokes? Are you sure?"

"Girls? Are you sure?" Remus retorted.

"Fair point," James replied. He walked over to Remus with the book and handed it over.

"You're convinced that you don't have a soul... what will it hurt to do the spell? At least you'll know for sure, right?" James suggested.

"Right," Remus muttered unconvincingly.

"Well?" James pushed, knowing that Remus needed to see he had a string. James was as certain Remus would have one as he was that he had one himself. Maybe seeing that would help Remus?

Remus took a deep breath and his eyes scanned the page.

"Amorem Meum," he said, almost expecting nothing to appear. Why would it? He was a monster after all, and -

"It's there," he said, the dark string pulling him from his thoughts. He stared at his hand in amazement.

"Told you," James replied, smirking at him. "Guess you can't go on about not having a soul now, can you?"

"I..."

"Come on," James said, grabbing his other hand and dragging him from the room. "Let's find him."

**...oOo...**

"Something's happened," James said, grabbing Remus and pulling him from the Library. Lily rushed behind, clutching Remus' books.

"What happened?"

"It's gone," Remus said. "It disappeared. It's... It went black and..." His voice shook.

"His string went black," Lily whispered.

The three were silent for a moment as it sunk in.

"That means -" James began.

"I know what it means. Werewolves have one mate, and mine is dead," Remus snapped. His hard gaze quickly dropped. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I -"

"It's okay," James replied, moving closer and wrapping his arms around his best friend.

"I tried to find him," he admitted. "I followed it in London once, but couldn't find the place." He tried to keep his voice steady.

"You never told us..." Lily whispered.

"Tell you what? That I chickened out of going back," Remus said. "I could have met him and maybe whatever the hell happened to him, I could have stopped."

"Wait - him?" Lily mouthed to James, slightly surprised.

James gave a tiny nod, and Lily joined in, wrapping her arms around Remus from behind and holding him tightly.

"What will you do?" Lily asked.

"I don't know," Remus said. "There isn't anyone out there for me anymore. I didn't even know his name, and now I never will."

"We can find out somehow," James said. "I'm sure there's a way."

"What's the point," Remus replied. "The world has decided that I should be alone. It's not just a black string, it's the feeling it's left behind. I feel so empty."

**...oOo...**

The day of the N.E.W.T's swiftly rolled around in no time. Ever since losing his mate, the days leading until the end of Hogwarts seemed to approach at a much faster speed - as though the world was eager to get him out of school and into a world full of people finding their soul-mates. A world he didn't want to be a part of.

Unfortunately the exams had been held very close to a full-moon, and he was suffering.

The whispering was the worst. Everyone talking and whispering about this Sirius Black (whoever he was). _Sirius Black was there for exams. Oh he's so gorgeous, so beautiful._ Remus just wished they'd all shut up. All the voices were agony to his head. The Werewolf senses were high so close to the moon, and his head was pounding. It was just someone attending for the exams.

Nothing more. He pushed down a growl that was trying to escape.

He felt something being pressed into his hands and James' voice saying it would make him feel better. He quickly tipped the pain potion down his throat, and his eyes swept over the great hall and he took a deep breath to calm himself.

A new scent hit him, and sent a shiver through his body. A scent that seemed to calm him and relax him more than the potion had. More than he expected.

Or maybe it was the potion? Remus wasn't sure. All he knew was that the exam was about to start and he had the most delicious scent in his head. Maybe this exam wouldn't go so badly after all?

**...oOo...**

The day to day work was mundane for Remus. He had found a job in a Library. Far from Wizarding work, it was the best he could do.

No-one wanted to hire Werewolves.

It didn't stop him though. He was going to keep applying for jobs in the Wizarding World - surely there were people out there that didn't care about his condition? He knew he had to keep trying.

As his lunch-break came around, he headed out back and Apparated back home where his mum had made him lunch. He grinned and gave her a kiss as he dropped into the empty chair, scooping up the newspaper.

"Interesting information about Lycanthropy," Hope mentioned, taking a seat facing him and pulling her own lunch over.

"Is there?" Remus asked, curiously. He flicked through, looking for an article.

"Not really Lycanthropy as such, it's more an interest piece on Sirius Black," Remus said, after reading through. "It's just going on about what he thinks about Lycanthropy."

"Yes, but your father explained how influential that family is - and if they -"

"He was disowned," Remus interrupted. "It's not the whole family, it's just him... but maybe it's enough to get people thinking about the issue."

He let his thoughts wander. If Sirius Black was out there talking about Werewolf rights, what was he doing himself?

Sulking in a Library.

"Mum, you know you and Dad were talking about that Research-Centre in Rome," Remus began, coming to a sudden unexpected decision.

Hope nodded, sipping on her tea.

"Can you tell me more about it?" He asked.

**...oOo...**

It was only a month before Remus found himself in Rome. He had packed his job in. It had only been part time after all, and he needed to make a difference, however slight. Every little bit helped.

His parents had spent so much time looking for a cure and helping. It was time for him to step up and try and make a proper difference. He had to live in this world, why not fight to make it that little bit better?

The Facility - The Instituti Lycanthroporm seemed like an intimidating place as Remus walked into his assigned bedroom.

"Am I sharing with someone?" He asked curiously.

"Not at the moment," the girl replied. "We tend to give a room each unless we get a lot more people staying, and then everyone would need to double up."

Remus nodded. He placed his small case on the floor.

"Where should I start helping?"

"Not today," the girl replied. "How about you rest for a couple of hours. I'll send someone up when dinner is ready, and tomorrow we'll show you around and explain more about this place."

"That sounds like a good idea," Remus replied. He watched the door close and looked around the room again.

He was in the Institute alone. He was always going to be alone from now on.

His fingers running over the black band tattooed a few inches above his wrist before he pulled his sleeve down over it.

**...oOo...**

Remus sat at the end of the dinner table listening to the conversation around him. Everyone seemed to be discussing an article.

A copy of the Daily Prophet was passed down to him, and he had only a second to wonder why Rome wanted an English paper before he looked at the Headline.

**'Sirius Black puts the CAN in LyCANthropy.'**

Remus couldn't help but smile as he read through the article. The Daily Prophet were highlighting Black's attempts at getting Werewolves treated like everyone else in the workplace. He looked at the accompanying picture of the man, and stared for a long moment at the self-assured cocky looking man who was fighting for people like him.

Sirius Black was a fascinating individual - Remus couldn't deny that.

Over the months, the articles kept coming. Sirius Black making as much progress on his own as the Institute were making as a team.

"We want him to share with you."

"What?" Remus asked.

"You're one of our hardest workers, you're the same age as Sirius Black and you're the most patient," Myra said. "So we were hoping you'd share your room with him."

"Are you sure? I mean, if you want me to share with someone else and let him have my room -"

"He can share just like everyone else, I'm certain he'll be fine sharing with a Werewolf if that's what you're worried about," she said with a smile. "I'll even ask him when he arrives if you're so worried."

"Okay, I'd like that," Remus replied. "I have so many questions for him."

"Don't we all?" She replied with a laugh. "We've sent his confirmation back already. I'll let you know when he's coming here."

Remus smiled.

**...oOo...**

"How long will you be gone?" Myra asked.

"Three or four months," Remus confirmed. "It's just that they need me back home. My friends have had a baby that I've not met yet, plus it's almost Christmas and my mum wants me back for that. Dumbledore has mentioned he needs my help with a project too, he said it would only be a few months that I'm required. Plus there are some Werewolf rights talks happening in England over the coming months and this gives me the perfect opportunity to finally attend one rather than just reading about it in the papers."

"We'll miss you," Myra told him. "It's just a shame that you've chosen today."

"I know, I was looking forward to meeting Sirius Black... maybe I'll still get a chance to be his room-mate if the bed's still free and he's still here when I return?"

"I'm sure he'll still be here," Myra replied. "He's very dedicated to our cause. If you're definitely coming back, we'll keep the room reserved for you."

"Thank you," Remus replied.

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	4. Chapter 4 - Sirius

_Star: Holy Hogwarts I've been gone for a minute! I am so very sorry. I want to say this will not happen again but my muse hates me so...I will try to cage her for longer periods of time. However, I am working on writing several things so that is a good sign! Anyway, please do not maim or kill me. I did not mean to be gone for so long and leave you all wondering about the future of this story and others. So without further ado, the next chapter! Onward Defrosted Tuna Team!_

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry or the world in which he lives. It is but a wistful dream of this author.

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**Chapter Four - Sirius**

"Good afternoon everyone. I'm Sirius." The group of black-banded werewolves were sitting in a circle in one of the common areas. Sirius could see their nervousness in everything from their fidgety frames to their closed off stances. It was going to take some time to build the trust.

"I'm going to be heading up the BB groups from now on, on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I'll be leaving Sundays open for private chats if you want to come and talk with me one on one. But before we get any farther I wanted to open the floor for any questions you may have for me. I know this is a big thing to change given the intimacy of this group and what is discussed here so if you have any questions or concerns feel free to ask them. I will try to answer them as best I can." A few of the wolves looked around before an elder man spoke.

"Why did you come here?"

"Because I want to help. Wolves are excessively mistreated and undervalued in almost every aspect of society. I want to shed a light on that. I wanted to help you in any way possible, the heads of the Institute thought this was a good way to start, and I agree." The blonde girl next to the old man leaned forward.

"But why? Why help us at all? What do you have to gain?" Sirius leaned forward to look her in the eyes.

"I have nothing to gain. I help because it's the right thing to do."

"So this isn't personal for you?" A dark haired guy on his right asked. He looked about Sirius' age but pretty skeptical. Sirius knew that his reasons would come out eventually but he didn't figure they would ask so soon. Sighing he looked down at his string finger.

"It's very personal to me actually. See, the reason they wanted me to work here with you is because I understand what it's like to lose that other half of you. My string turned black a few years ago...before that it was a life line. I would cast the spell to see it all the time, just to feel the string. To feel the heart of my soul mate beating through it and know that out in the world somewhere, my true love was waiting for me."

"Did you ever meet them?" A small girl of about 12 asked. Sirius shook his head.

"No. I never got the chance. I wanted to though, more than anything. I would sit and stare at that dark red string for hours some nights and imagine what he was like." The wolves looked startled by Sirius' comment.

"You were the mate of a werewolf?" The dark haired guy asked. Sirius nodded in answer.

"I researched all I could on werewolves because I wanted to help and after I lost my connection to my soul mate I went into Werewolf Rights. If I can make your lives better or give you back freedoms that are rightfully yours then maybe, I can do my mate proud." The old man looked around and nodded to the other wolves.

"Son, I think you've already done him proud, just by being you. My name's Aldrich and if you'll allow, I think I'd like to share first." Sirius smiled and nodded his head, giving the graying wolf the floor to speak.

It was a few weeks later that Sirius found himself eating lunch with Myra. She was talking about how the wolves in his group really seemed to have taken a liking to him and started to open up.

"It's almost like you're one of them, like they see you as part of their pack."

"Well I'm being invited into the most intimate part of their personal lives. You'd have to have a strong amount of trust for that." Sirius stated as he popped a cherry tomato into his mouth.

"I know that but it's going better than even I expected. Really Sirius, you are a miracle worker." The Black shook his head.

"No, just experienced. That and I know how it feels..." Myra looked at Sirius for a moment before cocking her head to the side in thought.

"Maybe you should talk to somebody too Sirius. The group is there for a reason. You should share. It might help."

"I'm alright Myra. I promise. By the way, do you know when my roommate is supposed to come back or am I getting a new one?"

"He said he would be back. We keep the bed saved for him just in case. You would like him. Hopefully he'll come back."

That night Sirius laid down in the bed and fell asleep almost instantly. It wasn't long after that he started to hear the heartbeat he had sorely missed. His mate's heartbeat. He knew that strong drum. There was no light and no sound other than the heartbeat but Sirius could feel a presence near him. If he could just reach out-

The alarm went off, waking him from sleep. Sighing, Sirius turned over onto his back. What had that dream been? Was it simply because he missed his string so badly or was there more to it?

The days continued to pass easily for Sirius and with each day he searched more for the answer to the now frequent dreams. It had taken him the better part of the month to look through most of the books the Institute had on dreams and so far nothing had come up. There were only five books left but Sirius was quickly losing hope of finding an answer. One of the younger wolves found him in the same spot hours later.

"Sirius?" The soft voice drew him away from his reading on shared dreams. The small blonde girl was looking at him with owlish yellow eyes. Quickly the man looked out the window. Moon-rise would be in a few hours.

"I must have lost track of time..."

"Is it ok to talk for a bit? I know I'm not in your group and I didn't schedule an appointment but the others say you're really good." Sirius smiled softly at the girl and nodded.

"Sure, what's on your mind kiddo?"

"Well, I found my mate today."

"That's great! Congratulations. It's not common for someone to find their mate so young."

"That's what Aldrich said too. Twelve is barely old enough to cast the spell for the string, but he's human. I don't want to hurt him." Oh, well that did complicate things a little.

"That's understandable. Is he magical or muggle?" The girl shrugged.

"I don't know. I haven't had the courage to ask...I think he's a muggle though."

"I see. Do you know anything about him yet?" Fluffy blonde hair swayed as the girl shook her head.

"Just that he's my mate and not a wolf."

"Well, then I would say there is plenty of time. The strings lead us to the person we are meant for most. They show us the soul who will understand, care for, and love us no matter what. This boy, whoever he may be, will accept your condition. He will love you regardless."

"But how could you know that?" There were tears in the girl's eyes as she spoke. It was a hard thought to process for many werewolves. Sirius had seen that first hand with several wolves.

"Because my entire family hates werewolves...I did too once upon a time. Then I found out that the other end of my string was a werewolf. I began to look into the life of wolves and found that my view, my hate filled thoughts, weren't true. I had changed because of the condition my mate had. I still loved him very much. This boy will accept you too in time. Just have a little faith, and perhaps, start with a hello. Love is grown, it's rarely instantaneous." The girl smiled and wiped her eyes. The others had been right. Sirius was good at what he did.

"Now, I believe it's getting close to moon-rise. Get somewhere safe kiddo."

"You too, and thank you Sirius. For listening." The grey-eyed man smiled as he walked the small wolf out of the library.

"Anytime kiddo." As the moon rose in the sky Sirius heard the howls all around him. The Black curled up on his bed, allowing his body to shift. He never could stay human during the full moon anymore. Not since he learned how. Sirius laid on his bed, though he knew sleep would not come. Instead he listened to the sounds of the pack around him and allowed his mind to wander to his mate. Where was he? Was he ok? Was he somewhere safe? Did he have a pack around him or was he alone? The same questions plagued his mind every full moon and the animagus doubted they would ever stop until he found his mate.

Morning was met with an eerie calm. Sirius knew the wolves were worn out. He couldn't blame them. The moment he knew they were human again he ventured out. The wolves were surprised to find him helping the med witches. Aldrich smiled at him as Sirius carefully wrapped his arm after applying essence of dittany.

"You're very good at this."

"Well I wanted to be able to treat my mate after the full moons. I wanted him to be able to depend on me."

"I'm sure he would have. Perhaps you could have saved him if you had met sooner." Sirius looked up at the elder wolf in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Aldrich smiled softly at the young man.

"Most wolves die from the full moon due to being unable to get proper care after they change back. I assumed that's what happened to your mate." Could that have really happened to him? Sirius prayed not. He wanted to keep the faith that the other end of his string was still out there somewhere.

"N-no…That's not why."

"What is it my boy?" Aldrich could see the change in Sirius. Something was bothering him.

"It's nothing."

"Sirius." Aldrich laid his good hand on the man's arm, causing him to look at him. "You don't have to lie to me."

"It's complicated Aldrich. I will tell you one day, I swear, but for today allow me this lie. Please?" After a moment Sirius saw him nod. He quietly finished bandaging the man's arm before moving on to the next wolf that needed help.

"Today I want to focus on something a little different. I know the pain is hard to get passed when thinking of your lost mate but I want you to remember the good times. Bring back a bit of that happiness you had when you had them. I want you to talk about the first time you met your mate. Or if you were unable to meet them, the first time you remember seeing your string and feeling their heart in the thread." The wolves were really opening up during group and now that more trust had been built, Sirius could see the changes in his group members. Many were starting to smile more and come out of their shells. They were more willing to talk and share their stories with Sirius. It probably helped that he shared his own too.

"I'll go first today Sirius." One of the female wolves in his group, Calliope, stood up.

"We're ready to listen."

"I met my mate when I was 19. I had gotten loose from my confinement on the full moon and had run into a village of people. I don't remember it but thankfully someone was able to stop me before I hurt anyone. I was being held by Greek Magical Law Enforcement. They were waiting for orders. The man guarding me had refused leave his post at my door the entire time we waited. I was told he was the one that stopped me." The brunette paused, smiling to herself.

"His name was Luka and he found me because he had been following his string. He didn't know that the dark red meant I was a wolf but he didn't care. I was eventually cleared of charges of endangerment with the agreement that I would come here to Rome. Luka never left my side during the whole ordeal. He was the one to escort me here and he stayed with me until he died trying to save a group of children caught in a fire…he was a good man." Calliope sat back down as another girl next to her hugged her.

"Thank you for sharing Calliope. Anyone else want to share?" The group continued with many of them sharing their stories. Sirius even shared his own of the night his mate became a wolf.

The days grew shorter as Christmas approached and then began to lengthen once more as the new year came. Winter was coming to an end when Sirius was approached by Myra.

"Is my roommate coming back?"

"Not just yet. He's helping his old headmaster with something and decided to stay for a bit longer. I, however, have a proposition for you." Sirius chuckled a little as they began to walk down the hallway.

"Oh do you? How can I be of service?"

"Go back to England." Grey eyes turned to her stunned. They wanted him to leave?

"What?"

"Oh not like that! We love having you here but there's this discussion going on in England about werewolves being able to attend wizarding schools. There are a lot of people there who are opposing the law stating that underage wolves be allowed to train as wizards. At least those that were born wizards. We were hoping you would go and speak on our behalf like you have before. They know you at the British Ministry of Magic. You have some pull there and may be able to secure a lot of wolves' futures."

"So long as proper precautions are in place there is no reason they can't. When is the hearing?"

"Next week. We'll have someone take over your groups while you're gone as well. Please say you'll do it?" Sirius smiled and shook his head at her plea.

"Why would you think I wouldn't. They deserve the right as much as anyone else to attend school. Especially if that school is Hogwarts. Dumbledore is a kind headmaster and a good friend for us to have." Myra cocked her head in confusion.

"I thought you went to Durmstrang."

"I did but I sat my NEWTs at Hogwarts and had the pleasure of meeting Dumbledore. He'll be on our side. I'll start packing and let my group know at the next meeting."

"Thank you Sirius! You really are amazing." The man grinned at her.

"Thank me when we've won. The only downside to this is going to London in March. I was happy having warmer weather." The pair laughed as they headed off to dinner. Sirius's last day before leaving had the little girl he met in the library coming to see him.

"Sirius?"

"Yes? Oh, hey little wolf. How are you?" The girl smiled at him as she swung her arms.

"Good. I talked to my mate."

"That's wonderful! Is he a muggle like you thought?" The girl shook her head.

"He's a wizard but his parents are humans. He's really nice. His name is Alex." Sirius smiled as he closed the suitcase he had been packing.

"Short for Alexander I'm sure." The girl shrugged.

"He's Roman."

"You know I've always found it funny that Italians don't usually call themselves Italians. They're Roman or Venetian. Maybe that's just in the wizarding world though."

"You call yourself a Londoner and not English." The Black stopped for a moment to look at the young wolf.

"Huh, I do. Perhaps it's just pride of where one lives that does it. Did you want to walk me out?" Sirius smiled as the girl nodded. She was telling him all about meeting her mate and how she hoped he remained just as kind when they were older. Once they were at the entrance she hugged him.

"Thank you for everything Sirius."

"It's no problem little wolf."

"Hey, I just realized I never told you my name." The dark haired wizard just ruffled her hair and smiled.

"I still know it."

"Oh yeah, what is it?" The girl challenged.

"Amelia." The look of shock on her face cause him to laugh.

"How did you know!? Did Myra tell you? She's such a brat!" Sirius waved at her as he left the building.

"See you in a few weeks little wolf." With that the Black was on his way back to England. Back to London and the life he left. The first thing he noted when returning is how lonely the house felt with Alphard gone. It still felt sad sitting in the old house but thinking of the happy memories of his uncle made it hurt less.

The next two days were spent preparing for the hearing. That meant going to talk the headmaster of Hogwarts. He needed to be sure he was on the werewolves' side. The headmaster welcomed him warmly into his office and offered a toffee to him.

"No thank you Professor. I wanted to talk to you about the hearing tomorrow for underage werewolves." The elderly wizard nodded in understanding.

"What is it that you want to discuss?" Sirius figured he had an easier time than if he was dealing with other headmasters but it wouldn't be a cakewalk either.

"I want to know that you would be willing to take in underage werewolves that would've been going to school had they not been bitten and allow them to attend. The castle is huge and there are many places that could house werewolves during the full moons. With the proper wards and measures in place they could attend school safely and get the proper care after the full moons." Dumbledore held up his hand to stop Sirius talking.

"My boy you don't need to convince me."

"But Professor-"

"I am already willing to take in wolves. While it cannot leave this room, I have already done taken a few werewolves over the years." Sirius looked at the headmaster stunned. He had already taken in wolves?

"You've already admitted werewolves? But then you have a proven system of keeping both the student population and the werewolves safe. How many wolves have you had come through?" Dumbledore sat down at his desk and looked at him over his half-moon spectacles.

"In total? Three. The first I'm sad to say died before she could graduate. With the second we created a better environment for the wolf that was also safer for both the students and the boy that was afflicted. The third did just as well as the second. I would be happy to offer a home for more werewolves. However, my concern is for their safety from others. There is many who would wish them harm should they be able to attend with their condition known." Sirius frowned. He didn't want that.

"That would be a problem. What if they still attended in secret? Maybe work their schedules around so they never attend on the full moon? Or something like that?"

"It is a thought. Regardless, I will be on your side when the hearing happens. Every child should have the right to learn." Sirius grinned. Albus Dumbledore was something else.

"I really wish I could've attended here. I think I would have been happy."

"I think if you had, you may have found exactly what you were looking for." Sirius smiled. He definitely would've been happy here.

"Thank you Professor. Will you be attending the hearing?"

"Of course. I would not miss such an important meeting. I will see you then Sirius." The old wizard shook his hand before allowing him to use the Floo home. Sirius could not wait for the hearing. Dumbledore had done much more for werewolves than he had realized. He was absolutely a great ally to have.

The Ministry was abuzz with people as the hearing loomed. Sirius could feel the jitteriness of the crowd as everyone filed into the room. He looked to the people speaking against werewolves and wasn't surprised to find Lucius Malfoy as the speaker. Of course he would be. He was usually the one speaking out against werewolves. Not that he usually won against Sirius. However, when it came to children the crowd and the deciding officials were already against him. He had to prove that werewolves were as human as the next wizard. Luckily, he knew just how to do that.

"Order! We are hereby starting the hearing for Lycanthrope Rights Coalition vs The Hogwarts Board of Governors for the Educational Decree of werewolves being allowed in attendance at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Mr. Malfoy, you may begin."

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**Review please my lovelies!  
Next chapter has Wolf returning with Remus  
See you all again soon~**


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